Is This Sexism?

Maybe it's foot-ism. Does she have sexier feet?

I suppose it could be called sexism - check with your HR staff and pose hypotheticals around different dress code standards. See what they say.

Personally, I think there's no doubt it's sexism, unless your company has a written dress code which specifically defines sandals as acceptable for women and unacceptable for men (which is, of course, sexist on its own, but then you were the one who decided to work there even though their dress code is written in such a manner).

I agree with you, James: not the biggest deal ever, but definitely sexist. One possible explanation: is your boss a man? Today's sexual harassment policies being what they are, many male supervisors are afraid to say anything about a woman's clothes at all. It seems like the system is broken, but I'm not sure how to fix it without exposing women (and men) to the problems that made sexual harassment an issue in the first place. Thoughts?

hard to say, women have open-toed shoes that are appropriate, whereas, men have no such alternative. Not to mention hers likely worked with the outfit without screaming "casual" when yours put you in dressed up surfer mode.

It sounds sexist to me. It all depends on if there is something spelled out in the dress code that says open toed shoes are OK for female but not male. I happen to work at a very large financial institution and I have both ears pierced with ten gauge stainless rings with small captured ball. I think I'm in the 1% or less of male employees with this type of body modification but since earrings are allowed for females they are also allowed for males in what would otherwise be a VERY conservative environment.